Vacuum sealer



G. L. BUSBY VACUUM SEALER March 4, 1947.

Filed May 17, 1944 Patented Mar. 4, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VACUUM SEALER 7 Guy L. Busby, Glendale, Calif.

Application May 17, 1944, Serial No. 536,012

This invention relates toa sealer for tin cans, glass jars with tin tops, plastic tops, or glass tops, or any style and kindof closures or lids, for use after evacuating the can, jar or other container through the top or closure.

It is particularly aimed to provide such a means wherein the closure is urged into sealing position by atmospheric pressure.

It is also aimed to provide a closure having a depression provided with an opening through which the air is evacuated, which depression seats a valve having means engaging said opening to close the same and center the valve in combination with an auxiliary closure applicable to the depression and engaging the valve along a convex surface.

It is further aimed to provide a valve with its under surface concave to facilitate the sealing by atmospheric pressure.

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a top, or plan view of a lid or closure carrying out my invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of line 2-2 of Figure 1, and also passing through a jar or other container;

Figure 3 is a view in elevation of the auxiliary closure as viewed from the bottom; and

Figure 4 is an inverted plan View of the Valve.

Referring specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts, In designates a suitable container which may be of any desired material such as metal, glass or plastic.

The entrance or mouth of the container is equipped with a removable closure H which may also be of metal, glass, plastic or other suitable material. The closure l l is removably attached to the container I ll by any suitable means, for instance, screw threads as suggested at l2, and a rubber ring or other gasket I3 is interposed between the closure and the upper edge of the container so as to provide an airtight or sealed joint at the connection of the closure to the container.

In accordance with my invention, the closure H is depressed as at [4, preferably centrally, in order to provide a well at l5. The bottom wall of the depression or well designated it has a central opening or part l1. After the container has been filled and closure ll applied thereto and sealed by means of the gasket l3, the con- 3 Claims. (Cl. 215-56) tainer is evacuated into the outside or open air by any suitable means applied to the port or opening 11.

After evacuation of air from the container through the port H, a valve I8 is disposed in the well l5 with a stop-per or cork-shaped projection I9 entered in the opening H, the lower end of the projection 19 being reduced as at 26 to facilitate entry and guidance of the projection or stem l9 into such port l1. It is to be noted that the under surface of the valve i8 is concave as at 2| so that such valve will marginally rest on the bottom Wall l6 and have sealing engagement therewith. The valve I8 is of flexible rubber or similar material, and due to its shape and the vacuum within the container, such valve will be urged and forced into marginal sealing engagement with wall l6 and the stem l9 forced into wedging and sealing engagement at the port I1, through atmospheric pressure exerted against the top of the valve which it will be noted is convex as indicated at 22.

Attention is also called to the fact that the stem through its coaction with the opening 11, accurately centers the valve l8 and guides the valve into proper accurate position.

Coacting with the valve [8 to further urge it to seating position and guard against accidental displacement and entry of air into the container, I provide a supplemental closure 23. This closure has a cylindrical wall 24 which intimately and frictionally fits the side wall of the depression l4 and it also has a convex wall 25 shaped in conformity with the convex wall 22 and arranged to directly engage the latter. A marginal flange 26 extends outwardly from the wall 24. It

will be clear that the auxiliary closure 23 is fricclosure having a well provided with an opening in its bottom, a flexible valve in said well having a stem to occupy said opening after evacuation of the container, whereby atmospheric pressure will urge sealing of the valve, said valve having a concave under surface, said valve being of rubber, and having a convex upper surface, and an auxiliary closure within the well cooperative with the valve and having a concave underside contacting the convex upper surface of the valve throughout substantially the areas of said surfaces.

2. In combination with a container having a removable closure thereon sealed thereto, said closure having a well provided with an opening in its bottom, a flexible valve in said Well having a' stem to occupy said opening after evacuation of the container, whereby atmospheric pressure will urge sealing of the valve, said valve having a concave under surface, said valve being. of rubber, having a convex upper surface, an

auxiliary closure within the well cooperative :with

the valve and having a concave underside contacting the convex upper surface of the valve throughout substantially the areas: ofsaid sur- I faces for maintaining the flexibility of the valve after the auxiliary closure is applied.

3. In combination with a container having a removable closure. thereon sealed thereto; said closure having a" wl-l'provided with an opening in its bottom, a flexible valve in said wall having a stem, to occupy said opening after evacuation of the container, whereby atmospheric pressure will urge Sealing of the valve, said valvehaving a concave under surface, said valve being of rubber,

' file of this patent:

. 4 having a convex upper surface, an auxiliary closure within the well cooperative withithe valve and having a concave underside contacting the convex upper surface of the valve throughout substantially the areas of said surfaces, said valve being reduced at its lower end to facilitate passage through the opening, said auxiliary closure having a friction fit in said well.

' GUY L. BUSBY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the UNITED STATES PATENTS 

